Winter Is Coming, Beware: MERS Kills Another Two, 50% Fatality

It's still summer and hot weather still persist but just so you know, there is a respiratory disease that has experts very worried. It's called the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) conoravirus and it has a higher kill rate than SARS of 2003 that started in China (where else?) which had about a 10-15% kill rate.

MERS, on the other hand, has a fatality rate approaching 50%. According to a Star Talk podcast I was listening to during one of my runs, this has folks in the medical field, especially in the Middle East, extremely concerned.

Initially tight-lipped about it, Saudi Arabia has now issued warnings for those who have weak immune systems for one reason or another (young, old, pregnant women) to avoid making this year's fall's hajj pilgrimage (CBS).

While those of us in the US have a lower risk of an outbreak, just remember to keep washing those hands and make sure you take proper precautions this winter.